Summer Solstice and the Lunar Standstill

 

On Thursday night, at 21:50, we celebrate the Summer Solstice. the time of year which celebrates the first astronomical day of the Summer season in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that tomorrow marks the longest day of the year and also the shortest night, measured in terms of daylight. 

https://www.umass.edu/sunwheel/pages/moonteaching.html

The Solstice marks a point in the year when the Sun is at its northernmost point. This point is an abstract one, on the celestial Tropic of Cancer (the Tropic of Cancer projected out into space), a parallel 23.5 degree north of the celestial equator (the equator projected out into space). At this solstice, as opposed to the Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is most tilted towards the Sun by a maximum angle of 23.5 degrees. 

The Ancient ones knew about this day and gave it the utmost importance. They tracked the Sun's path across the sky and the length of daylight hours.  Scientifically, the summer solstice represents a key moment in the Earth's orbit, influencing climatic patterns and agricultural cycles. It signals the official start of summer, though in meteorological terms, summer beings on June 1. The increased daylight hours lead to warmer temperatures, crucial for growing crops and sustaining ecosystems. 

Culturally, the summer solstice has been celebrated for millennia. Ancient structures like Stonehenge in England as well as our own Hagar Qim are aligned with the solstice sun, demonstrating its historical significance. 

So all eyes on the Sun - but also the Moon! We have another significant event happening this weekend - the Lunar Standstill, a fascinating astronomical event that occurs every 18.6 years, involving the Moon's orbit and its interaction with the Earth. It is characterised by the maximum and minimum declinations of the Moon - essentially the highest and lowest points it reaches in the sky relative to the celestial equator. There are two types of lunar standstills: major and minor. 

During a major lunar standstill, the Moon's declination reaches approximately plus or minus 28.6 degrees. This means that the Moon appears very high in the sky during the maximum northern declination and very low during its southern declination. These extremes in the Moon's position can lead to especially high and low tides, known as perigean spring tides, which can significantly effect affect coastal areas. 

taken from www.msn.com

Conversely, a minor lunar standstill occurs when the Moon's declination is limited to about plus or minus 18.6 degrees. During this period, the Moon's path in the sky is less extreme, resulting in more moderate tidal effects. 

The lunar standstill is significant not only for its impact on tides but also for its historical and cultural importance. Ancient civilisations, such as the builders of Stonehenge and other megalithic structures, are believed to have tracked these cycles, aligning their monuments to mark these  celestial events. This highlights humanity's long-standing fascination with and reliance on the rhythms of the Moon. 

Fascinating isn't it? We may think that the ancient ones were not as knowledgeable as us.... but then, their connection to Earth and sky was second to none. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this. 

Full Moon soon! 

Blessings! 

Cindy